Carto
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Grand Rapids, Michigan · Private Studio

1-on-1 Beginner DJ Lessons in Grand Rapids

Learn to DJ on professional equipment in one focused 2-hour private session with Carto, a working Grand Rapids DJ. Total beginners welcome.

Lessons take place on high-end industry standard club gear: a pair of Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS2 media players coupled with a Pioneer DJM-900NXS mixer running into premium studio monitors. Students are also completely welcome to bring their own controller or gear if preferred.

Book Your Session See What You'll Learn

$100 flat · 2-hour private session · add-ons $20

Taught by a DJ who plays across Grand Rapids

  • Breakaway Main Stage
  • Intersection
  • The BOB
  • Billy's

What You Will Master · The 2-Hour Beginner Blueprint

Master Rekordbox, Beatmatching, & Phrasing

Every session follows the same proven blueprint, so you walk out able to prep a library and play a clean mix.

Lessons take place on high-end industry standard club gear: a pair of Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS2 media players coupled with a Pioneer DJM-900NXS mixer running into premium studio monitors. Students are also completely welcome to bring their own controller or gear if preferred.

  1. Rekordbox Mastery

    Seamless music library preparation, hot cue mapping, and track analytics.

  2. Precision Beatmatching

    Train your ears to align track tempos manually and execute clean transitions.

  3. Structural Phrasing

    Mastering intro/outro mixing, verse counting, and bars to maintain smooth dancefloor energy.

  4. Essential EQ Work & Transitions

    How to isolate frequencies, apply smooth filter sweeps, and execute common beginner mixing styles flawlessly.

Simple Pricing

2-Hour Private DJ Lesson Pricing

One booking = one 2-hour private session. No packages, no subscriptions, no upsells.

2-Hour Private Session

Maximum 2 hours per booking. Studio gear included.

2-hour private DJ lesson pricing
First HourRekordbox setup, beatmatching fundamentals$60
Second HourPhrasing, EQ work, transitions, hands-on mixing$40
Total 2-Hour Package$100
Book Your Session

Add-Ons

Every add-on, rental, export, or digital deliverable is a flat $20 per charge.

DJ lesson add-on pricing
Recorded mix exportYour session mix delivered as an audio file$20
USB format & Rekordbox exportVenue-ready drive prepped from your library$20
Rekordbox library cleanupAnalysis, tags, playlists, and duplicates$20
Solo studio practice hourStudio deck rental for returning students$20

Book a Lesson

Book Your 2-Hour Private Studio Deck Session

Send a request through the contact page and Carto will reply to confirm your time and share the studio address.

  • One private 2-hour session: $100 total
  • Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS2 players, DJM-900NXS mixer, and studio monitors provided
  • No experience needed; bring your own controller if you have one
  • Students must be 18 or older
  • Studio in Grand Rapids, MI; address sent on booking

Ready to start?

Send your name, email, phone and a quick message. Carto replies to confirm a time.

Request Your Session

Prefer DMs? Message @cartospins on Instagram.

Hear Carto

The Kind of Set You'll Learn to Build

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Or listen on SoundCloud

FAQ

DJ Lesson Questions, Answered

How much do DJ lessons cost in Grand Rapids with Carto?

A private 2-hour beginner DJ session costs $100: $60 for the first hour and $40 for the second hour. Every add-on is a flat $20.

How long is a DJ lesson?

Every booking is a single 2-hour private session. Two hours is the maximum per booking.

Do I need my own DJ equipment?

No. Lessons take place in a Grand Rapids studio on high-end industry standard club gear: a pair of Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS2 media players and a Pioneer DJM-900NXS mixer running into premium studio monitors. You are welcome to bring your own controller or gear if preferred.

Are the lessons good for complete beginners?

Yes. The 2-Hour Beginner Blueprint is built for total beginners and covers Rekordbox, beatmatching, phrasing, and EQ transitions.

Privacy Policy · Effective September 30, 2026

This policy explains what information Carto DJ Lessons ("Carto", "we") collects through this website, how it is used, and the choices you have.

What we collect

  • Booking request details you submit: name, email, phone number and the message you write on the contact page.
  • Website usage data: through Google Analytics, pages viewed, approximate location (city level), device and browser type, referring site, and whether a contact request was submitted. Your name, email, phone and message are never sent to Google Analytics.
  • Technical data: our hosting provider and the services listed below automatically receive your IP address and browser details when your browser loads content from them.

How we use it

We use booking details only to respond to your request, schedule and deliver your lesson and add-ons, and handle payment, cancellations or questions. We use usage data only to understand how visitors find and use the site. We do not sell your personal information, share it for targeted advertising, or use it to build advertising profiles.

Service providers

We rely on these providers, who process data on our behalf or when your browser connects to them:

  • Netlify: website hosting and storage of booking form submissions.
  • Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager: website usage statistics and the tool that loads them. Advertising features and Google signals are turned off.
  • Google Fonts: delivers the site's typeface, and receives your IP address when the page loads.
  • SoundCloud: the mix player. It loads only if you click "Load SoundCloud Player", and SoundCloud may then set its own cookies.
  • Instagram: if you message us there, Meta's privacy policy applies to that conversation.

We may also disclose information if the law requires it, or to protect our rights, safety or property.

Cookies and opting out

Google Analytics uses first-party cookies. If your browser sends a Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track signal, Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager do not load at all. You can also block cookies in your browser or install Google's Analytics opt-out browser add-on.

Retention

We keep booking requests for as long as needed to schedule and deliver your lesson and handle any follow-up, and delete them within 12 months of your last session or unanswered request. Google Analytics data is kept under Google's standard retention settings.

Your choices

Wherever you live, you can ask us to show you, correct or delete the booking information we hold about you. We respond within 30 days. We may keep limited records where the law requires it, such as payment records.

Security

We use reputable providers and limit access to your information, but no method of transmission or storage is completely secure.

Age requirement

This site and our lessons are for adults 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18. If we learn we have, we delete it.

Changes and contact

If we update this policy, we change the effective date above. For privacy questions or requests, send a direct message to @cartospins on Instagram.

Terms of Service · Effective September 30, 2026

These terms apply to lesson requests and lessons with Carto DJ Lessons ("Carto", "we"). When you submit a booking request or attend a lesson, you agree to these terms.

1. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to book or attend a lesson. We may ask for proof of age and may refuse or end a session if the requirement is not met.

2. Bookings

Submitting the form is a request, not a confirmed booking. A booking is confirmed only when we confirm a date and time with you. Each booking is one private session of up to 2 hours at the listed price ($100, plus $20 per add-on). Sessions take place in a private home studio in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the address is shared after confirmation. If we cancel or need to reschedule, you may choose a new time or get a full refund of anything you paid.

3. Cancellations and no-shows

You may cancel or reschedule free of charge up to 24 hours before your session. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the session, and no-shows, are charged the full session fee, and any amount already paid is non-refundable. Arriving late does not extend the session.

4. Studio conduct and equipment

Please follow reasonable instructions and handle the studio equipment (including Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS2 players, a DJM-900NXS mixer and studio monitors) with care. You are responsible for the reasonable repair or replacement cost of any damage you cause intentionally or through careless or reckless use. Normal wear and tear and ordinary mistakes made while learning are not your responsibility. We may end a session with no refund if you are impaired by alcohol or drugs, or if your behavior is unsafe, abusive or harassing.

5. Assumption of risk

DJing involves amplified sound. Extended exposure to loud audio can affect hearing, so you may ask to lower the volume or use hearing protection at any time. You take part voluntarily and accept the ordinary risks of attending a lesson in a home studio, including risks from sound levels, cables and equipment.

6. Your music and recordings

You are responsible for having the rights to any music files you bring or ask us to prepare. Recordings made during a session, such as the recorded mix export add-on, are for your personal, non-commercial use. We will not publish recordings of you without your permission.

7. No guarantee of results

Lessons are educational. We do not guarantee any particular skill level, bookings or career outcome.

8. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Carto is not liable for indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages, or for lost profits, data or music files, arising from the website or lessons. Carto's total liability for any claim related to a lesson is limited to the amount you paid for that lesson. Nothing in these terms limits liability for gross negligence, willful misconduct, or anything else that cannot legally be limited.

9. Your responsibility for claims

You agree to cover reasonable losses and costs Carto incurs from third-party claims caused by your breach of these terms, your misuse of the studio, or music you provide without the necessary rights.

10. Disputes and governing law

Please contact us first so we can try to resolve any concern informally. These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Michigan. There is no arbitration requirement: any dispute will be heard only in the state courts located in Kent County, Michigan (including small claims court), and both parties agree to that venue.

11. General

If any part of these terms is found unenforceable, the rest remains in effect. We may update these terms, and the version in effect when you book applies to that booking. Questions? Send a direct message to @cartospins on Instagram.